Reading the Past
by Abiit
Summary: Alex Rider, 11 years old, and Ian Rider are called into the Royal and General Bank, where Ian works. There, they find a surprise in the form of a book. Watch what happens as past meets present.
1. Chapter 1

**Okay, this is my first story *cue happy shrieking* So, um here it is. Also, all rights go to Anthony Horowitz.**

* * *

Alex Rider, age 11 was heading home from Brookland School when it happened. He had just walked past a dark alley when a set of hands reached out and grabbed him from behind. They pulled him into the alley; Alex struggling to get loose as hard as he could. He slipped out of the strong grip and turned around to face his attacker when he froze. It was his uncle, Ian Rider, who was supposed to be in America and not come back for another week.

"Ian?" Alex shouted out of happiness and curiosity.

"Hey Al," Ian replied.

"What are you doing back? I thought you weren't supposed to be home for a while?" asked Alex.

"What, don't you want to see me!" exclaimed Ian mock offended. Alex just rolled his eyes and said, "Yes, I'm happy you're back but still, why _are_ you back so early?"

"Pushy pushy, aren't you," muttered the elder Rider jokingly. "My client suddenly had other very important matters so he couldn't come and the meeting was cancelled." Alex nodded, "That makes sense," he said to himself thoughtfully.

"Also, my bosses said that they have something important to show the both of us," Ian added on to his previous statement.

"What would the bank have that would be important enough that they would want me to be there," inquired Alex. Ian shrugged.

"I have no idea but they said that they wanted the both of us there soon, so we'd better go." After that was said Ian put his arm around Alex's shoulders and they began to walk towards the Royal and General Bank, talking about everything under the sun; from school, to where they would go on to vacation next, to what they were going to have for dinner, now that Ian was home.

* * *

The pair, Alex and Ian Rider, arrived at the Royal and General Bank at approximately 3:30 pm. When they got there they walked up to the reception desk where a nice looking young woman was sitting doing paperwork. She smiled and said, "Welcome to the Royal and General Bank, how may I help you?" Ian gave a small smile in return and said, "Mr. Blunt asked me to come in." She looked up from her paperwork.

"Of course, what is your name?"

"Ian Rider and Mr. Blunt also said to bring in my nephew, Alex," he gestured to Alex.

"Go right on up." Ian nodded and together the Riders walked over to the elevator, stepped inside, and pressed the button for the fifteenth floor. It carried them up, only stopping once, and when it reached their floor, they stepped off.

"So, do you have any clue yet as to why we're here?" asked a curious Alex. Ian shook his head.

"Nope, sorry." They continued walking until they reached a door with a black nameplate with white letter that said _Alan Blunt_.

"Who's he," the younger Rider asked.

"Mr. Blunt is the chairman of the bank, answered the elder Rider and Alex nodded. Ian knocked on the door quickly three times. A swift, "Come in," was said and they complied with Ian going in first.

"God evening gentlemen," said a masculine looking woman. She was standing next to a man who was sitting at the desk. He was all grey. Grey skin, grey hair, grey clothes.

"Good evening Mrs. Jones. Mr. Blunt," Ian said politely.

"I bet you are wondering why we have brought you here," said the woman, Mrs. Jones. Both Ian and Alex nodded. "Alex, we have something to tell you." Ian's eyes widened in surprise, realizing what she meant.

"What do you mean," asked Alex, his eyebrows furrowing in confusion.

"This bank is not actually a bank and your uncle is not actually a banker."

"What!" exclaimed Alex, shock evident in his voice. He looked over at Ian in confusion.

"The Royal and General Bank is just a cover, as is Ian's status of a banker. This bank is actually the headquarters of the Special Operation Division of MI6," Mrs. Jones continued. Alex stared at her in shock of what she just said.

"You mean, like James Bond," asked Alex.

"Kind of," Ian piped up. "But why exactly did you call us here, sir. Surely not just to tell him about MI6, sir," he continued.

"No," Alan Blunt answered. "This morning we received a package from Mr. Smithers, our gadget maker," he added the last part for Alex's benefit. "We opened the box and there was a note that said that it was sent from future Smithers. We had our experts search the package and they confirmed that it was in fact from the future." Ian interrupted. "I'm sorry sir but what does this have to do with us?"

"Everything. There was a book in there titled **Alex Rider: Stormbreaker**. It is about what Alex does in the future." Alex and Ian blinked in surprise.

"Wow," breathed Alex.

"We have decided to send you both down to Smithers' workshop to read the book," said Mr. Blunt.

"We may also be coming down to see how everything is going," added Mrs. Jones.

"I have already sent an agent to collect Miss Starbright and explain to her what is going on. She should be here soon. The note also said that future Smithers will be sending some people, so I suggest you head down now." The Riders took that as a dismissal and left without another word, both thinking about what just happened.

"That was-" started Alex.

"-weird," supplied Ian.

"Yeah, definitely weird. So you're a spy, huh?" said Alex

"Yep," said Ian hesitantly, unsure of what Alex thinks about that.

"I always knew there was something strange about you," joked Alex in a teasing tone. Ian rolled his eyes.

"Oh ha ha, very funny." Alex opened his mouth to retort, but whatever he was about to say was cut off by the sound of the elevator dinging. They stepped out and Alex gasped in awe, never before having seen something as amazing as Mr. Smithers' workshop.

"Amazing, isn't it," said a very fat man who had walked out from behind a large table full of lots of different odds and ends. "Names Smithers and you must be Alex Rider," he said reaching out to shake Alex's hand.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, my boy." Alex smiled.

"You too," he replied.

"Hello Smithers," Ian said grinning.

"Ah, old chap! It's good to see you again," Smithers said, pulling Ian into a great big hug.

"Ian! Alex!" a woman cried out from somewhere to their left. They all turned to see a lady with bright red hair, Jack Starbright. "They told me about what this place really is. Ian, I never would've suspected that you would be a spy! Isn't this exciting Alex? We get to see what you're like in the future," she nearly screamed. The Riders smiled

"Hey, Jack," Alex and Ian chorused.

"Well then, let's get this party started," beamed Smithers. He quickly wobbled over to his desk and grabbed something off of it. The book.

"Please, take a seat." Smithers gestured to a couple chairs and a couch off to the side. "Who wants to read first," he asked. Alex raised his hand.

"Can I?"

"Of course lad." He tossed the book to Alex, who easily caught it.

"Okay, **Chapter One: Funeral Voices**."


	2. Funeral Voices

**Okay, here's Chapter 2. Also, past Alex is Al and future Alex is Alex.**

**Disclaimer: I've been asking for years for the rights, but so far it hasn't been working.**

* * *

"Okay, **Chapter One: Funeral Voices**." As soon as Al said that, a low humming sound filled the air. Everyone turned towards the source of the sound, a cabinet off to the right. The space near there turned pitch black, then suddenly flashed white and everyone in the room covered their eyes. When the light disappeared, there were five men standing in its place. One of the men suddenly shouted, "That was awesome! Can we do it again?" The others rolled their eyes at his behavior, as if this happened all the time.

"Who are you," asked Ian. One of the men stepped forward. He was slightly taller than the others and was Hispanic looking.

"My name is Wolf, that's Eagle," he pointed at a hyper-looking brunette who grinned and waved, "Snake," a fair-haired thin man who gave a small smile," Fox or Ben, doesn't matter which you call him," a slightly tall man with dark hair who also gave a small smile, "and Cu-Alex." Here he gestured to a tall boy with fair hair and serious brown eyes.

"What's with the weird names," asked Al.

"We're in the SAS," the one named Wolf grunted.

"Hey Ian, hey Jack, hey mini me" said future Alex with a smile.

"Alex!" shrieked Jack and she ran over to him and gave him a hug. He flinched slightly but no one except Ben and Ian noticed, Ian frowning in confusion, but deciding that it was due to the fact that Jack just about blasted their eardrums.

"I expected Ian to be shorter," blurted out the same person who shouted when they first got to the past, Eagle.

"Eagle," Wolf groaned. "Is it possible for you to be quiet for more than a minute?"

"Nope," he grinned, popping the 'p'.

"Uhh," said Ian.

"Don't worry about it, he tends to say things without thinking," said Ben and Ian nodded.

"So let's read then, huh," Alex said, clapping his hands once. Everyone nodded and the futures took their seats. Snake and Eagle took chairs and Wolf, Alex, and Ben took a couch. Alex laid down with his feet on Ben's lap and his head on Wolf's.

"Okay, here we go," started Al.

**Chapter One: Funeral Voices**

"Well that isn't morbid at all," joked Eagle and Fox hit him over the head. Eagle huffed and gestured to Al to continue reading.

**When the doorbell rings at three in the morning, it's never good news.**

"What if it's someone saying that you just won a million dollars," said Eagle. "Why would someone wake up at three o'clock in the morning _just_ to give you money, Eagle," Alex said.

**Alex Rider was woken by the first chime. His eyes flickered open, but for a moment he stayed completely still in his bed, laying on his back with his head resting on the pillow. He heard a bedroom door open and a creak of wood as somebody went downstairs. The bell rand a second time, and he looked at the alarm clock glowing beside him. There was a rattle as someone**

"Why does it keep saying 'someone' or 'somebody'? I mean seriously, why can't whoever wrote this book say who it is," huffed Jack.

**slid the security chain off the front door.**

**He rolled out of bed and walked over to the open window, his bare feet pressing down the carpet pile. The moonlight spilled onto his chest and shoulders. Alex was fourteen, already well built, with the body of an athlete.**

"Aw, my adorable little baby," cooed Jack and both Alex's blushed. K-Unit bar Eagle and Wolf gave a small laugh, the former about to burst out laughing and the latter giving a small smile.

**His hair, cut short apart from two thick strands hanging over his forehead, was fair. His eyes brown and serious.**

"Not as serious as they are now," muttered Ben, but no one except Alex noticed.

**For a moment he stood silently, half hidden in the shadow, looking out. There was a police car parked outside.**

"What'd you do Alex?" Ian said jokingly.

"How am I supposed to know," groaned Al. The people from the past looked at the futures.

"Not telling," Alex sung happily, enjoying the fact that he could be with Ian and Jack again.

**From his second-floor window Alex could see the black ID number on the roof and the caps of the two men who were standing in front of the door. The porch light went on and, at the same time, the door opened.**

**"Mrs. Rider?"**

"Like I would marry him," exclaimed Jack mock offended. Ian huffed but his smile gave him away.

**"No. I'm the housekeeper**

"Good," Jack said and muttered to herself grinning.

**What is it? What's happened?"**

"Yes, what happened," Al said, looking at his future self.

**"Is this the home of Mr. Ian Rider?"**

"What happened to Ian," asked Al. Alex shook his head, "Just keep reading."

**"Yes."**

**"I wonder if we could come in..."**

**And Alex already knew. He knew from the way the police stood there, awkward and unhappy. But he also knew from the tone of their voices. Funeral voices... that was how he would describe them later. The sort of voices people use when they come to tell you someone close to you has died.**

"Ian's dead," said Al, blinking away tears. Jack gasped and put a hand over her mouth. They both looked over at Ian, who just sighed.

"Just, just keep reading," he muttered, looking down. Al looked at him for a moment before reading.

**He went to his door and opened it. He could hear the two policemen talking down in the hall, but only some of the words reached him.**

**"… a car accident … called the ambulance … intensive care … nothing anyone could do … so sorry."**

"Car accident my a- sorry butt," said Ian, changing the words when Jack glared at him.

**It was only hours later, sitting in the kitchen, watching as the gray light of morning bled slowly through the West London streets, that Alex could try to make sense of what had happened. His uncle—Ian Rider—was dead. Driving home, his car had been hit by a truck at Old Street roundabout and he had been killed almost instantly. He hadn't been wearing a seat belt, the police said. Otherwise, he might have had a chance.**

"But Ian always wears a seat belt," Al said confused. "And I mean _always._"

**Alex thought of the man who had been his only relation for as long as he could remember. He had never known his own parents. They had both died in another accident,**

"Sure," Alex muttered, "an _accident_," but no one heard him.

** this one a plane crash, a few weeks after he had been born. He had been brought up by his father's brother (never "uncle"—Ian Rider had hated that word)**

"Why," asked Wolf and Ian grumbled something. Wolf tilted his head to the side, "What?"

"He said it's because it makes him feel old," said Jack and Al snorted.

** and had spent fourteen years in the same terraced house in Chelsea, London, between the King's Road and the river. The two of them had always been close. Alex remembered the vacations they'd taken together, the many sports they'd played, the movies they'd seen. They hadn't just been relations, they'd been friends. It was almost impossible to imagine that he would never again see the man, hear his laughter, or twist his arm to get help with his science homework.**

"Which hurts," teased Ian.

"What, does the spy think a kid is stronger than him," said Al and Alex high-fived him.

"Oh ha, ha," mumbled Ian. The Alexs just grinned.

**Alex sighed, fighting against the sense of grief that was suddenly overwhelming. But what saddened him the most was the realization—too late now—that despite everything, he had hardly known his uncle at all.**

**He was a banker. **

"Sure I am," Ian said and rolled his eyes.

**People said Alex looked a little like him. **

"You look more like your father," Ian commented.

**Ian Rider was always traveling. A quiet, private man who liked good wine, classical music, and books. Who didn't seem to have any girlfriends … in fact, he didn't have any friends at all. **

"I take high offence to that," said Ian.

"You have to admit that it's true," retorted the past and future Alex at the same time.

**He had kept himself fit, had never smoked, and had dressed expensively. But that wasn't enough. It wasn't a picture of a life. It was only a thumbnail sketch.**

**"Are you all right, Alex?" A young woman **

"Why can't you just introduce me already!" exclaimed Jack.

**had come into the room. She was in her late twenties with a sprawl of red hair and a round, boyish face.**

"Boyish," said Jack with a raised eyebrow.

"Er, sorry," said Al, although it sounded more like a question.

** Jack Starbright was American. She had come to London as a student seven years ago, rented a room in the house in return for light housework and baby-sitting duties and had stayed on to become housekeeper and one of Alex's closest companions. Sometimes he wondered what the Jack was short for. Jackie? Jacqueline? Neither of them suited her and although he had once asked, she had never said.**

"Before you ask, no I am still not saying," she said when everyone looked at her.

**Alex nodded. "What do you think will happen?" he asked.**

**"What do you mean?**

**"To the house. To me. To you."**

**"I don't know." She shrugged. "I guess Ian would have made a will," she said. "He'll have left instructions."**

**"Maybe we should look in his office."**

"No!" shouted Ian.

"Why not," Al asked cautiously.

"I'm a spy, who knows what's in their," he replied.

**"Yeah. But not today, Alex. Let's take it one step at a time."**

**Ian's office was a room running the full length of the house, high up on the top—It was the only room that was always locked—Alex had only been in there three or four times, and never on his own. When he was younger, he had fantasized that there might be something strange up there … a time machine or a UFO.**

"Really kid, a UFO," Wolf asked with a raised eyebrow.

"What! I was like, 5 or something," Alex exclaimed.

"But still, a UFO?" Alex did the mature thing and stuck his tongue out.

** But it was merely an office with a desk, a couple of filing cabinets, shelves full of papers and books. Bank stuff—that's what Ian said. Even so, Alex wanted to go up there now.**

"Like I said before, DON'T!"

"Yeah, yeah Ian, I got," Al said.

**"The police said he wasn't wearing his seat belt." Alex turned to look at Jack.**

**She nodded. "Yeah. That's what they said."**

**"Doesn't that seem strange to you? You know how careful he was. He always wore his seat belt. He wouldn't even drive me around the corner without making me put mine on."**

**Jack thought for a moment, then shrugged. "Yeah, it is strange," she said. "But that must have been the way it was. Why would the police have lied?"**

"Maybe because they're not the police but actually MI6," said Ian sarcastically.

**The day dragged on. Alex hadn't gone to school even though, secretly, he wanted to. **

"What sane person would _want _to go to school," Eagle said mock horrified.

"We've already established that he's not sane," Wolf responded while rolling his eyes.

**He would have preferred to escape back into normal life, the clang of the bell, the crowds of familiar faces, instead of sitting here, trapped inside the house. But he had to be there for the visitors who came throughout the morning and the rest of the afternoon.**

**There were five of them. A lawyer who knew nothing about any will but seemed to have been charged with organizing the funeral. A funeral director who had been recommended by the lawyer. A vicar—tall, elderly—who seemed disappointed that Alex refused to cry. A neighbor from across the road—how did she even know that anyone had died? And finally a man from the bank.**

"Ah yes, the bank," said Ian sarcastically.

**"All of us at the Royal and General are deeply shocked****,"**

"Sure you were," muttered Alex and Ian.

** he said. He looked about thirty, wearing a polyester suit with a Marks & Spencer tie. He had the sort of face you forget even while you're looking at it and had introduced himself as Crawley, from personnel. "But if there's anything we can do…"**

**"What will happen?" Alex asked for the second time that day.**

**"You don't have to worry," Crawley said. "The bank will take care of everything. That's my job. You leave everything to me."**

"And look where that got me," Alex said sadly.

"What do you mean?" asked Ian.

"You'll see."

**The day passed. Alex killed a couple of hours knocking a few balls around on his uncle's snooker table and then felt vaguely guilty when Jack caught him at it. But what else was he to do? Later on she took him to a Burger King. He was glad to get out of the house, but the two of them barely spoke. Alex assumed Jack would have to go back to America. She certainly couldn't stay in London forever. So who would look after him?**

"Who _will_ look after me?" asked Al. No one answered.

** At fourteen, he was still too young to look after himself. His whole future looked so uncertain that he preferred not to talk about it. He preferred not to talk at all.**

**And then the day of the funeral arrived and Alex found himself dressed in a dark jacket and cords, preparing to leave in a black car that had come from nowhere surrounded by people he had never met. Ian Rider was buried in Brompton Cemetery on the Fulham Road, just in the shadow of the Chelsea soccer field, and Alex knew where he would have preferred to be on that warm Wednesday afternoon. About thirty people had turned up, but he hardly recognized any of them. A grave had been dug close to the lane that ran the length of the cemetery, and as the service began, a black Rolls-Royce drew up, the back door opened, and a man got out. Alex watched him as he walked forward and stopped. Alex shivered. There was something about the new arrival that made his skin crawl.**

"I don't like him," frowned Ben. Wolf rolled his eyes.

"_No one_ likes him, Ben," he said.

**And yet the man was ordinary to look at. Gray suit, gray hair, gray lips, and gray eyes. His face was expressionless, the eyes behind the square, gunmetal spectacles, completely empty. Perhaps that was what had disturbed Alex. Whoever this man was, he seemed to have less life than anyone in the cemetery. Above or below ground.**

"Nice one Al," said Ian, giving them both a high-five.

**Someone tapped Alex on the shoulder and he turned around to see Mr. Crawley leaning over him. "That's Mr. Blunt," the personnel manager whispered. "He's the chairman of the bank."**

"Bank my butt," muttered Wolf.

**Alex's eyes traveled past Blunt and over to the Rolls-Royce. Two more men had come with him, one of them driving. They were wearing identical suits and, although it wasn't a particularly bright day, sunglasses. Both of them were watching the funeral with the same grim faces. Alex looked from them to Blunt and then to the other people who had come to the cemetery. Had they really known Ian Rider? Why had he never met any of them before? And why did he find it so difficult to believe that they really worked for a bank?**

"Because he didn't!" "Because I didn't!" screamed K-Unit and Ian.

"Yeah, yeah, I know that now," said Alex.

**"He is a good man, a patriotic man. He will be missed."**

"Like they'll actually me miss. They just miss the fact that they lost an agent."

**The vicar had finished his graveside address. His choice of words struck Alex as odd. Patriotic? That meant he loved his country. But as far as Alex knew, Ian Rider had barely spent any time in it. Certainly he had never been one for waving the Union Jack. He looked around, hoping to find Jack, but saw instead that Blunt was making his way toward him, stepping carefully around the grave.**

"Yep, good old Blunt, not wanting to disrespect the dead," said Alex, sarcasm dripping off his words.

**"You must be Alex." The chairman was only a little taller than him. Up close, his skin was strangely unreal. It could have been made of plastic. "My name is Alan Blunt," he said. "Your uncle often spoke about you."**

**"That's funny," Alex said. "He never mentioned you."**

"Your sarcasm is gonna be the death of you, you know that Al," said Jack jokingly.

**The gray lips twitched briefly.**

"You made him show emotion!" yelled Ian excitedly. He ran around the room doing a happy dance then returned as if nothing had happened.

"Okaay then," muttered Wolf.

** "We'll miss him. He was a good man."**

**"What was he good at?" Alex asked. "He never talked about his work."**

**Suddenly Crawley was there. "Your uncle was overseas finance manager, Alex," he said. "He was responsible for our foreign branches. You must have known that."**

**"I know he traveled a lot," Alex said. "And I know he was very careful. About things like seat belts."**

"Just let it go Alex," groaned Ian.

"Well excuse me for wanting to know why the police lied to me," Al exclaimed.

**"Well, sadly, he wasn't careful enough." Blunt's eyes, magnified by the thick lenses of his spectacles, lasered into his own, and for a moment, Alex felt himself pinned down, like an insect under a microscope. "I hope we'll meet again," **

"And I hope that you two never see each other again, for your sake," said Ian with an evil glint in his eye that made Jack and Al back away slightly.

**Blunt went on. He tapped the side of his face with a single gray finger. "Yes …" Then he turned and went back to his car.**

**That was when it happened. **

"Ooh ooh, what happened," asked Eagle excitedly.

"Maybe if you let Alex read the book then you would know," Wolf sighed.

**As Blunt was getting into the Rolls-Royce, the driver leaned down to open the back door and his jacket fell open, revealing a stark white shirt underneath. There was a black shape lying against it and that was what caught Alex's eye. The man was wearing a leather holster with an automatic pistol strapped inside. **

"Great, just great. Now he's going to be curious and investigate," Ian moaned.

**Realizing what had happened, the driver quickly straightened up and pulled the jacket across. Blunt had seen it too. He turned back and looked again at Alex. Something very close to an emotion slithered over his face. **

Ian gaped at the Alexs. "How the hell did you get him to show emotion not _once_ but _twice_?"

"What can I say, I'm awesome like that," Alex said smiling while shrugging.

**Then he got into the car, the door closed, and he was gone.**

**A gun at a funeral, Alex thought. Why? Why should bank managers carry guns?**

"Because they're not actually bank managers!" screamed Jack. Ian winced.

"Man you've got a set of lungs," he muttered.

**"Let's get out of here." Suddenly Jack was at his side. "Cemeteries give me the creeps."**

**"Yes. And quite a few creeps have turned up," Alex muttered.**

"Awesome!" grinned Ian, and gave them a thumbs-up.

**They slipped away quietly and went home. The car that had taken them to the funeral was still waiting, but they preferred the open air. The walk took them fifteen minutes and as they turned the corner onto their street, Alex noticed a moving van parked in front of the house, the words STRYKER & SON painted on its side.**

**"What's that doing …?" he began.**

**At the same moment, the van shot off, the wheels skidding over the surface of the road.**

**Alex said nothing as Jack unlocked the door and let them in, but while she went into the kitchen to make some tea, he quickly looked around the house. A letter that had been on the hall table now lay on the carpet. A door that had been half open was now closed. Tiny details, but Alex's eyes missed nothing. Somebody had been in the house. He was almost sure of it.**

"Good observations," muttered Ian.

**But he wasn't certain until he got to the top floor. The door to the office, which had always, always been locked, was now unlocked. Alex opened it and went in. The room was empty. Ian Rider had gone and so had everything else. The desk drawers, the closets, the shelves … anything connected to the dead man's work had been taken. Whatever the truth was about his uncle's past, someone had just wiped it out.**

"That's the end of the chapter," Al said.

"Well that was kind of morbid," said Eagle.

"Does anyone have any duct tape?" Wolf asked suddenly. Smithers raised his hand.

"I have some right here," he said while tossing the tape to Wolf. "Thanks," he muttered. Wolf and Alex then stood up and went over to Eagle. Alex grabbed his arms and held him down while Wolf duct taped his arms to his sides. Then he put a piece over Eagle's mouth.

"Why'd you do that," asked Al curiously. This time it was Snake who answered.

"Because Eagle had chocolate before coming here and we know from experience that the sugar will be kicking in soon."

"Oh, okay."

"Who wants to read next?" asked Jack.

"Can I?" Ben said. Alex gasped.

"You can _read_," he yellled.

"Very funny Al, very funny," Fox muttered. "So,"

**Chapter Two: **


End file.
